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. 2 sheets-sheet 1. T; O'BRIEN.

BICYCLE.

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 2.9, 1892.

INVENTEIR fimm M3 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

THOMAS OBRIEN, NEW YORK, N. Y.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,621, dated March 29,1892. Application filed February 4, 1890. Serial No. 339,180. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State, of New front. The large wheel carries a rider on top,

and between the wheels there is .provided a seat for a person of either sex. The rider on the large wheel propels the machine by a downward pressure on the pedals, and the pedals for the front rider are at the lower forward ends of levers whose upper ends are connected by connecting-rods to the cranks on the axle of the large wheel and by which means the rider on the front seat assists in propelling the machine.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation with the seats removed. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a view from the rear of the method of insulating and sustaining the spine. Fig. 4 is a plan view of-the folding mechanism with a hinge, showing how the spines and forks are united. Fig. 5 is a plan view having a movable pin which may be used with or without the hinge D. In this case the projecting fork E is not used. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a view of the looking mechanism from the line X X in Fig. 5.

The wheels A B, their axles and bearings, and treadles may be of any desired construction. The backbone or spine 0 is in one piece of tubing, and is united to the spine 0 by means of the locking mechanism, and this locking mechanism consists of the hinge D, the forwardly-extending fork'E to F, (see Fig. 4,) the screw-threaded sleeve F on the spine 0, and the screw-threaded nuts 0 C The spine 0' is preferably of tubing, and the space. occupied by the forwardly-extending fork E to F is cut out of the screw-threaded sleeve F and spine 0, and a swelling 0 is forged upon said extended fork, and its outward surface is threaded to conform to the screw-threading on the sleeve F. The arm E of the hinge D is split and spread apart so as to'form two knuckles, and the forward end of said arm is inserted in the tube 0 and therein made secure by rivets or in any other manner. By an interchangeable part the nut C has a flange, to which is fitted the movable pin E as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and this pin may be used with or without the hinge D, and when without the hinge the arm E as shown at D, Fig. 1, is split and spread apart and carried around the spine 0 below the forks E and riveted Within the spine 0'. In this case the projecting fork E to F is not used. (See Fig. 4.) The forks E may be secured to the spine 0 in any sk-illed manner. D, having an eye for the pin of the hinge D, and a riveted nut on the other end, and the top and bottom eyelets of said hinge are brazed or forged to the spine 0. By this construction when the nuts 0 O are turned backwardly toward the front wheel sufiicient for the nut O to clear the extended fork E or the pin E from the spine 0 the. front I show a bolt" wheelA may be swung around and placed beside the wheel B. The spine 0 is carried forwardly and upwardly and united to the neck 0, which is connected by the bearings 'n n to the steering-post N, the said steeringpost and step 0 being secured on top of the mud-guard M, and this mud-guard M is made of spring-steel or sheet-steel, and in the latter case it is fastened at one end and bent to the desired curvature and then fastened to the other end of the forks L, the said forks being made sufliciently strong to resist the pressure of said mud-guard.

On top of the steering-post N is the adjustable sliding sleeve R, which carries'the handlebars R which when adjusted is made fast by the set-screw R and the brake-handle R is operated in the usual manner.

The forks E are constructed of or in one piece, arched at the top to receive the rubber cushion S, curved backwardly of the axle of the wheel B and secured to the bearings wardly and secured to the spine 0, as hereinends of said levers for the feet of the front rider, who by which means assists in propelling the machine.

Within the arch of the forks E over the wheel B is a rubber cushion S, the edge of which is formed to straddle the arch of said forks and bearing S, and this bearing, which maybe a spring, if so desired, is held in place by the split clamping-rings S S and through the said rubber cushion the spine 0 is extended backwardly sufficient for the saddle of the rider, and by insulating the spine from the forks in said manner vibration cannot be transmitted to the seat and handle-bars. handle-bars II of the wheel B are shown over the forks of said wheel; but they may be also placed in front of said forks on the said spine by means of a standard secured by welding or by split clamping-ring. The forks of these wheels may be of any desired sectional shape.

The brake'V is carried on the spur V',and a rod V connects the brake to the brakehandle V which is adjusted on the handlebar H, the latter being on the standard H, and H the securing-nut on top.

The saddle-bar G by means of the split clamping-ring G is adjustable up or down upon the spine 0.

The rods a a are brazed to the fork E and form the step I The connecting-frame and folding mechanism of this machine are equally applicable for use in a tricycle or other velocipede.

The-

The depending links and connecting-rods heretofore described by me in my patents, Nos. 372,428 and 372,429, may be used in this machine instead of the levers K K.

The mud-guard M is similar to that patented to me in Patent No. 394,287.

The forks L are similar to those patented to me in Patent No. 413,415.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a bicycle, with the wheels A B, forks L, mud-guard M, steeringstandard N, and handle-bars R of the spines 0 andO', the forks E, the split clamping-ring G and the saddle-bar G substantially as set forth.

forks E, the levers K K, the connecting-rods K K and the pedals K K by which the front rider assists in propelling the machine, substantially as specified.

3. In a bicycle or other velocipede, the combination, with the wheels A 13, their forks, and mud-guard, of the spine 0, spine 0', hinge I), screw-threaded sleeve F, the forwardly-projecting fork E, the nuts 0 O and the interchangeable pin E, by which means the machine is folded, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bicycle or other velocipede, the combin ation consisting of the forks. E, rubber cushion S,- the bar or spring S',the clampingrings S S and the spine C, on which the handle-bar standard II is secured, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inventionI have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 30th day of October,-1S89.

' THOMAS OBRIEN.

Vtfitnesses:

WM. A. LOWE, A. J ONGHMANS. 

